Resolution needed in airport wrangle

By
SIMON CHAMBERLAIN

IT MAY be by the end of today the display of brinkmanship between Regional Airlines and Dubbo City Council could either be resolved or, at worst, the airline may make good its threat to pull the service from the city.

IT MAY be by the end of today the display of brinkmanship between Regional Airlines and Dubbo City Council could either be resolved or, at worst, the airline may make good its threat to pull the service from the city.

Dubbo City Council is really on a hiding to nothing on this issue, and many of its detractors among the city's residents use this wrangle as another case of perceived ineptitude.

Today's meeting between the Rex board and the mayor Mathew Dickerson and the council's director of corporate developments, Ken Rogers will be interesting to say the least.

Another interesting point made yesterday in a media statement from Rex's executive chairman, was that federal government policies was decimating knocking regional aviation about.

The chairman Lim Kim Hai said the airline's profit before tax had slumped by 36 per cent. And he said from the first month of this financial year the airline was seeing the impact the various government polices like the carbon tax and policies exacerbating the week world economy.

High fuel prices along with increased levels of red tape or bureaucracy were also shaving profit margins he said.

In fact he claims many regional carriers were struggling to survive.

The anticipated cost of screening at $4.69 a passenger might be the straw that stoves in the camel's back if you follow Mr Lim's logic.

Federal policy has as much of a role to play as the council's decision to extend a blanket charge for security.

Perhaps federal transport minister Anthony Albanese should step up to the mark and lending a hand in an attempt to solve the matter?